In 1765 a bastide was built. This was the beginning of La Timone. It stands proudly today a testament to history and medicine. La Timone is more than just a hospital. It’s a place of healing and innovation.
La Timone’s story begins long before its current buildings. Jean Timon-David a wealthy merchant built a country house there in 1765. This is how the area got its name. The land had been bought much earlier in 1654 by Louis David. He was a French representative in Genoa. The land was then used for growing olives and grapes.
The city of Marseille acquired the land in 1869. They transformed the site into a hospital. This expansion was an extension of a municipal asylum nearby. The medical school also moved to La Timone. This unified care teaching and research in one location. The medical school later split into separate faculties of pharmacy and dentistry in the 1970s.
Gaston Defferre Marseille’s mayor played a key role in La Timone’s development. In the 1970s he oversaw major construction projects. The current hospital buildings were completed in 1973. They were officially opened the following year. La Timone became the largest hospital in Marseille.
Further major renovations took place from 2007 to 2012. This created La Timone 2. It improved the efficiency and organization of care. La Timone’s emergency department became the largest in France and the second largest in Europe.
La Timone is famous for its pioneering work in pediatric transplants. In 1986 La Timone performed France’s first successful kidney transplant on a one-year-old child. By 2008 it had performed 100 kidney and 100 liver transplants on children. La Timone is also internationally renowned for its expertise in epilepsy treatment. Professors Jean Régis and Patrick Chauvel revolutionized epilepsy treatment. They used Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Their work attracted patients from all over the world.
La Timone’s adolescent psychiatry department also stands out. Under Dr Marcel Rufo it became a leading facility in France. The Espace Arthur opened in 1999. It provides unique care for adolescents facing various challenges.
La Timone’s history is rich and complex. It’s a hospital that embodies resilience innovation and dedication to healing. It’s a place of both profound sorrow and immense hope. La Timone’s legacy lives on in the countless lives it has touched. It continues to shape the future of healthcare in Marseille and beyond.